Spinning apparatus and method utilizing miniature carding rolls



Dec. 19, 1967 w. B. CROXTON SPINNING APPARATUS AND METHOD UTILIZINGMINIATURE CARDING ROLLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1966 WILLIAM B.CROXTON BYWMM%A%M ATTORNEYS W. B. CROXTON SPINNING APPARATUS AND METHODUTILIZING Dec. 19, 1967 MINIATURE CARDING ROLLS Filed June 28, 1966 2Sheets-Sheet 2 v E W WILLIAM B. CROXTON wg fih lw ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 3,358,432 SPINNING APPARATUS AND METHOD UTILIZ- INGMlNIATURE CARDING ROLLS William B. Croxton, 2617 Edgewood Ave.,Burlington, N.C. 27215 Filed June 28, 1966, Ser. No. 561,186

11 Claims. (CI. 57-50) This invention relates to the processing oftextile fibers, in strand form, into packages of yarn, and moreparticularly to a method and apparatus for spinning fibrous strandtextile material which utilizes miniature carding rolls to draft thestrands.

Conventional ring spinning systems employ a plurality of seriallyarranged nip rolls through which strands of textile material, in theform of roving, pass in side-by-side relationship. By controlling therelative peripheral speeds of the rolls, draft is imparted to thestrands, after which they are twisted and wound onto bobbins to formpackages of yarn. In the production of textile yarns by the cotton orworsted process, strands of textile fibers are subjected to a drawingand roving operation after carding and before spinning of the fibersinto the yarn product.

The relative speeds of and the distances between the drafting rolls arecritical and must be varied, depending on the particular type fiber andfiber length being processed. Unless the speeds and distances betweenthe rolls are maintained within certain critical limits, the strands aredrawn irregularly or broken during spinning. Experience has proved thatit is impossible to produce an even yarn with conventional roll draftingwhen the blend of fibers contains a low percent of long fibers and ahigh percent of very short fibers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel ringspinning frame which utilizes a plurality of miniaturecard-clothing-covered rotating rolls to permit spinning of fibrousstrand material into yarn packages directly after the carding operationwithout subjecting the fibers to the aforementioned drawing and rovingoperations necessary to cotton and worsted yarn systems.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel ringspinning frame utilizing miniature carding rolls which permits thespinning of various lengths and types of fibrous strand material, orblends thereof, into yarn packages without substantial modification ofthe spinning frame.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel ringspinning frame which permits the spinning of blends of fibers havingvariations in fiber length and characteristics which have heretoforebeen impractical for drafting on conventional spinning frames.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel ringspinning system which permits the spinning of yarns with higher draftsthan conventional spinning systems.

It is also a object of the present invention to provide a method ofspinning textile fibrous strand material wherein drafting of the strandsis accomplished by subjecting them to a plurality of serially arrangedminiature card-clothing-covered rolls defining a curvilinear path oftravel for the strands of less than about two feet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method ofspinning fibers into yarns having different physical appearance andcharacteristics, such as the woolen, worsted, and cotton type yarns.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a side View, with partsbroken away, of a ring spinning frame incorporating the features of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the spinning frame seen in FIGURE1 and taken along line 2-2 thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic presentation showing the configuration andarrangement of the miniature carding rolls in the spinning system of thepresent invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view showing a modified form of the cardingrolls seen in FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a ring spinning frame 11which has been modified to include the elements and features of thepresent invention. Located at one end of the frame is a housing 12containing conventional drive and control components of the spinningframe. A drive motor 13, variable speed unit 14, and gear unit 15 (shownschematically) are located within the housing and are connected in aconventional manner to operate the various components of the frame.

As seen in FIGURE 2, the spinning frame 11 has two identical sides orrows of processing equipment driven from a common drive means. Forconvenience, reference will be made to only the left side thereof in thedrawings, but it is to be understood that the operation of both sides ofthe frame are identical.

A row of ring spinning spindles 16 are mounted on a longitudinal spindlerail 17 and individually driven by belts 18 connected to a centrallongitudinal drive cylinder 19 (FIGURE 2). Located directly above therow of spindles 16 are a pair of nip rolls 21 and 22 which arepositively driven and serve to tension the yarn strands passing from thedrafting area of the spinning frame to the ring spinning spindles 16, aswill be explained.

Suitably supported at the top of the spinning frame are a row ofcondensing trumpets 23 which receive individual strands of the yarnpassing to the frame. Beneath each condensing trumpet and suitablyjournaled in end bearings (not shown) of the spinning frame 11 are apair of positively driven nip rolls 24. Beneath the nip rolls 24 and inclose proximity thereto are a pair of serially arranged, miniaturecard-clothing-covered rolls 25 and 26, which are supported for rotationby shafts 27 and 28 (FIGURE 1) journaled (not shown) in the ends of thespinning frame. Located below the card roll 26 and above the tensioningrolls 21 and 22 are a pair of positively driven nip rolls 29 which serveas dofiing means to remove textile strand material from the peripheralsurface of carding roll 26, as will be explained. Adjustably supportedbetween the nip rolls 27 and tension rolls 22 are a plurality ofcondensing trumpets 30.

Textile strand material S, after being carded, and without beingsubjected to a drawing or roving operation, is fed from a plurality ofsliver cans 31, by way of freely rotatable overhead guide rolls 32, 33,to the upper portion of the spinning frame 11. The strands S, inside-by-side relationship, pass through respective trumpets 23 wherethey are condensed and are then fed by nip rolls 24 onto the peripheralsurface of the first carding roll 25. Roll 25 is programmed to rotate ata greater peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of nip rollers 24to impart draft to the individual strands contacting the clothing on thesurface of the roll.

The strands are carried by roll 25 through a curvilinear path defined bysubstantially one-half of the rolls peripheral surface and are thentransferred onto the peripheral surface of the scond carding roll 26where additional draft may be imparted to the strands, if desired. Thestrands are dotted from roll 26 by nip rolls 29, pass downwardly throughcondensing trumpets 30, tensioning rolls 21 and 22, and are twistedduring take-up on the respective ring spinning spindles 16. Bypositioning the nip rolls and miniature card rolls of the spinning framein substantially vertical alignment, an additional advantage isobtained, namely the weight of the fibrous strand material, due to 3 theinfluence of gravity at the transfer points between the rolls, can beused to aid in the transfer and produce a more uniform yarn.

The details of construction of the carding rolls may best be explainedby reference to FIGURES 2 and 3. The peripheral surfaces of rolls 2-5and 2-6 are covered with conventional mechanical clothing 34 and therolls are psitioned in strand transferring relationship. Although thenumber and size of the card rolls may be varied, it is desirable thatthey be of sufiiciently small size as to be incorporated into thespinning frame 11. Preferably, they should define a combined curvilinearpath of travel for the strands of no more than about two feet.

When it is desired to process the strand material into yarns similar tothe worsted or combed cotton type, the points 34 of the mechanicalclothing on the rolls are arranged to extend in the direction ofrotation of the respective rolls (FIGURE 3) and the peripheral speeds ofthe rolls are programmed at serially increasing rates to impart draft tothe strands at the transfer point between the nip rolls 24 and the firstcard roll 25 and between the first card rolls 25 and the second cardroll 26.

The carding rolls of the present invention may be modified to produceyarns having a bulked or wool-like appearance by reversing the directionof the clothing points 31 on the card roll 26 sothat they extend in adirection opposite to rotation of the roll (FIGURE 4). By rotating thecard roll 26 at a slower peripheral speed than the peripheral speed ofcard roll 25, the strands, which are drafted during transfer from thenip rolls to card roll 25, are bulked during transfer between the cardroll 25 and card roll 26. By overfeeding the strand material against theinclined points of the slower rotating roll 26, a shingling or bunchingeffect is produced in the fibers and a bulked appearance is created. Therespective peripheral speeds of the rolls may be varied to achieve theexact results desired. The yarn strands are then doifed from card roll26 in the same manner as in processing yarns of the worsted or combcotton type.

By providing card-clothing-covered roll surfaces on which textile strandmaterial may be supported during spinning, greater draft can be impartedto the strands than can be accomplished in conventional spinning frames.Additionally greater variation in staple length, fiber type, and yarncharacteristics can be spun on a frame incorporating thecard-clothingcovered rolls of the present invention. The additionalsupport provided the strands by the carding rolls also permits textilematerial to be spun into yarns closely approaching the conventionalcotton and worsted yarns without subjecting it to conventional drawingand roving operations.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of processing textile fibrous strand material to formpackages of yarn therefrom comprising continuously feeding a bank oftextile strands in sliver form and in side-by-side spaced relationthrough a curvilinear path of travel of less than two feet in successivesurface engagement with serially arranged card-clothing-covered rotatingrolls While imparting draft to the strands, removing the drafted strandsfrom the last roll in the series, condensing the drafted strands tocompact the same, and imparting a predetermined amount of twist to thecompact strands while winding the strands onto respective bobbins toform packages of yarn therefrom.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the strands, after drafting,and while still in said curvilinear path of travel, are bulked byengagement with the surface .of one of the serially arranged rotatingrolls.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the strands are bulked byengagement with the surface of the last roll in the series.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the strands throughout theirprocessing, pass substantially vertically downward to the point ofpackage formation.

5. A method of processing a textile fibrous strand of material to form apackage of yarn therefrom, comprising the steps of passing said strandbetween a pair of rotating nip rolls, directing said strand from saidnip rolls onto the peripheral surface of a card-clothingcovered rollrotating at a greater peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of saidnip rolls and having the points of its clothing extending in thedirection of rotation of said roll to impart draft to the strandthereon, transferring the strand from said first card-clothingcoveredroll to a second card-clothing-covered roll rotating at a fasterperipheral speed than the peripheral speed of said first roll and havingpoints of its clothing extending in the direction of rotation of saidsecond roll to impart additional draft to the strand during transferbetween said first and second rolls, passing said strand through a pairof rotating nip rolls to doff the strand from the second roll, directingthe strand through a restricted orifice to condense the strand, and thendirecting the strand onto a rotating yarn-carrier through a ringspinning device to twist and wind the strand into a package of yarn.

6. A method of processing a textile fibrous strand of material to form apackage of yarn therefrom, comprising the steps of passing said strandbetween a pair of rotating nip rolls, directing said strand from saidnip rolls onto the peripheral surface of a card-clothing-covered rollrotating at a greater peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of saidnip rolls and having the points of said clothing extending in thedirection of rotation of said roll to impart draft to the strand,transferring the strand from said first card-clothing-covered roll to asecond card-clothing-covered roll rotating at a slower peripheral speedthan said first roll and having points of said clothing extending in adirection opposite to the direction of rotation of said second roll tobulk the strand during transfer between said first and second rolls,passing said bulked strand through a pair of rotating nip rolls to doffthe strand from the second roll, directing the strand through arestricted orifice to condense the strand, and then directing the strandonto a rotating yarn carrier through a ring spinning device to twist andwind the strand into a package of yarn.

7. An apparatus for continuously processing strands of textile materialin sliver form to form packages of yarn therefrom comprising a series ofcard-clothingcovered rotatable rolls for successively engaging andimparting draft to strands of material fed therethrough, said rollsbeing of relatively small size and being positioned so that theirperipheral surfaces collectively define a curvilinear path of travel ofno more than about two feet in length for strand material fedtherethrough,

means for feeding a plurality of strands in side-by-side spaced apartrelation to the first of the rolls in said series, rotatable dofiingmeans for removing the drafted strands from the last roll in saidseries, means positioned adjacent said dofling means for condensing eachstrand after dofiing to compact the same, and means operativelyassociated with said dofiing means for twisting and Winding the compactstrands into respective packages.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said means 7 for feeding thestrands in side-by-side spaced apart rela tion to the first of the rollsin the series includes a first pair of nip rolls, said rotatable dofiingmeans includes a second pair of nip rolls, said means positionedadjacent said dofiing means for condensing each strand includes aplurality of side-by-side condensing trumpets, and said meansoperatively associated with said dofiing means for twisting and windingthe strands into packages includes a plurality of rotatable spinningspindles.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 including additional condensing meanspositioned before said first pair of nip rolls to condense the strandsprior to their introduction to said series of rolls, and wherein saidfirst roll of said series is adapted to be driven at a greaterperipheral speed than the peripheral speed of said first pair of niprolls to impart draft to the strand material.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said series ofcard-clothing-covered rotating rolls comprises a pair of rolls disposedin strand-transferring relationship and adapted to be rotated inopposite direction with the points of their clothing extending in thedirection of rotation of their peripheral surfaces, and wherein saidapparatus includes means for rotating the rolls, the first of said rollsbeing adapted to rotate at a slower peripheral speed than the second ofsaid rolls to impart draft to the plurality of strands during theirpassage from the first of said rolls to the second of said rolls.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said series ofcard-clothing-covered rotating rolls comprises a pair of rolls disposedin strand-transferring relationship and adapted to be rotated inopposite directions, the points of the clothing of the first of saidpair of rolls extending in the direction of rotation of its peripheralsurface and the points of the clothing of the second of said pair ofrolls extending in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation ofits peripheral surface, and wherein said apparatus includes means forrotating the rolls, the first of said pair of rolls being adapted torotate at a faster pe ripheral speed than the second of said pair toimpart bulk to the plurality of strands during their passage from thefirst of said pair of rolls to the second of said pair of rolls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,038,293 6/1962 Pavek 5750 XR3,210,923 10/ 1965 Schlosser 5750 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 8,796 1841 GreatBritain. 11,393 1846 Great Britain.

19,180 Germany.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

W. H. SCHROEDER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A METHOD OF PROCESSING TEXTILE FIBROUS STRAND MATERIAL TO FORMPACKAGES OF YARN THEREFROM COMPRISING CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING A BANK OFTEXTILE STRANDS IN SLIVER FORM AND IN SIDE-BY-SIDE SPACED RELATIONTHROUGH A CURVILINEAR PATH OF TRAVEL OF LESS THAN TWO FEET IN SUCCESSIVESURFACE ENGAGEMENT WITH SERIALLY ARRANGED CARD-CLOTHING-COVERED ROTATINGROLLS WHILE IMPARTING DRAFT TO THE STRANDS, REMOVING THE DRAFTED STRANDSFROM THE LAST ROLL IN THE SERIES, CONDENSING THE DRAFTED STRANDS TOCOMPACT THE SAME, AND IMPARTING A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TWIST TO THECOMPACT STRANDS WHILE WINDING THE STRANDS ONTO RESPECTIVE BOBBINS TOFORM PACKAGES OF YARN THEREFROM.